In his threadGandalf_Sr asked for a way to add the dimple to its integrated circuit (IC).
To better try to show that I ended up by building an IC and then decided to add it to this How To session.
So, here goes one of my approaches...
Three different approach to the body:
The first one is the same used in the video; The second after a cleanup and the third is a version for use with normalmap to build the dimple.
The use of hard edges in the second version was intended to equilibrate the weight of the mesh during the smooth operation. It made the smoothed object consistent with all corners with the same "curvature".
The wire, smooth preview and render (POV-Ray). The image was applied using the Snap Image tool.
I found this video very helpful in demonstrating a large number of UI gestures and features, regardless of the Integrated Circuit task at hand. However, some of the gestures took place so quickly that it's hard to follow what exactly happened. So I stepped though it extremely slowly and took notes. Others might find that useful, so see below.
Notes on the Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQAVpKf63TA
RMB = Right Mouse Button = right-click context menu, on the drawing surface.
GG = Geometry Graph window
Keep an eye on upper left of drawing area where numbers appear during free (drag) adjustments
Steps: 0:00 New model
Windows open: Outliner, GG, (Manage) Selection Groups, Saved views
Docking: drag window to edge of screen, suggested zone highlights. Sometimes docking doesn't respond. Have to restart to get docking to work.
First adjust current view so it's aligned to chip in photo, so when photo is imported it will be nicely aligned. (By luck, in this photo the chip is centered.
"Y" to get X-Z plane parallel to screen
Orthogonal view
Rotate view around Y axis by mouse.
Or, you can just import the image, and rotate it later
Save view so can reposition to it later:
"Saved views" window > right-click > new view, name (here "rest")
Use image name [ie: file name] for ... Material and Object
This creates an object, with image as "material" on top (and bottom?) face. (So be aware that this is already a complex object with multiple faces.)
(Added) Rotate image
Step that I added because it seems generally useful.
Select all, then use RMB > Free Rotate and Move to maneuver to best position, with chip centered on the Y axis, and X and Z axes bisecting the middle leg on each side of the chip.
Note that image is actually a shape object with the photo texture-mapped to one of the surfaces. So when rotating or moving "the picture" you need to select the entire object, not just the face that it's mapped to.
0:35 Adjust image to useful size, and position "below" the model position as a template
Select image in GG (or Select All, Ctrl-A).
RMB > Scale Radial until square body of chip slightly encloses 2 x 2 grid squares
RMB > Move Y ... slide that image object down a little.
0:57 Create a grid of cubes
Y. Space (deselect all)
RMB > Grid gear > Create a grid dialog.
Rows cols = 11 legs +10 spaces + 2 end spaces --> 23 rows and columns
1:55 Extrude a second layer of cube grid
Select top surface:
Side view
Select mode: faces
drag-select the side, including bottom but not top surface
Main menu: Select inverse
RMB > Shell Extrude (not Extrude or Extract). Y direction, Free
Drag to 0.300, constrain to 0.1 steps using Control key (see Preferences > Constraints)
2:18 Tidy objects
GG >
Original grid > right-click > delete
Just-created grid[n]_extract3 > right-click > rename to "body"
The original grid blocks did serve to lift the body off the X-Z plane.
2:30 Divide body into upper and lower halves
1. Select mode: edge
2. Select one of the vertical edges
3. Select > Edge loop > Edge ring -- selects all vertical edges around the shape
RMB > Connect -- creates edge around middle of vertical faces, deselects vertical edges
2:45 Step out lower half of body
Deselect all (space)
Repeat 1-3 for the lower vertical edges
Switch to Select mode: Faces. -- All lower vertical now selected (not sure if these steps are needed, given next step)
View from edge, drag selection to include lower half of body, and not upper. (I think this is to also include the bottom faces.)
RMB > Extrude > Normal ... 0.0175
3:03 Select top surface and make it a group
Add to existing selection. Select > More. I guess this is supposed to add all adjacent items of the type selected in the current Select mode. However, my Select Mode was set to vertices, whereas video was set to faces?
Anyhow, I just used edge view and drag select all vertical faces and lower faces.
Now Select > Inverse to select just the top faces
Selection Groups window > right-click > New Group > "toscale" (for later use)
3:14 Create bases for legs
On the top half, repeat the vertical edge... edge-ring... RMB > connect technique to create a line around the top half
RMB > Slide ... down, 57%
Deselect all
3:25 "Pyramid-ize" upper section
Reselect upper surface using Selection Group "toscale"
RMB > Scale uniform ... in 93%
3:37 Create foot-base group
Deselect all
Select every other mid-height small rectangle (11 places)
Selection Groups window > right-click > New group > name "legs"
3:49 Begin an actual leg!
Deselect all
Select first leg base (leftmost)
Y (overhead view
RMB > Shell extrude > Normal .... ~ 0.2276
4:10 Create first bend
The following procedure uses various tricky combinations of mouse buttons and mouse movement. While that is in progress it's also OK to invoke mouse-wheel, press-mouse-wheel (with possible shift key) and also axis keys to adjust view
Assuming face on end of leg is still selected...
RMB > Sweep region. Several alternatives for what happens next
Right click selects behavior with following steps:
Another right click to select axis of rotation -- pick lower horizontal edge of selected face
Then left-drag to rotate, plain move mouse to extend, left-click to end
4:30 Create second and third bent segments
There are various forms of repeat last command, on Edit menu
We want Repeat Args = "d"
4:57 Final flat segment
Same as preceding segments. It's helpful to adjust view to "looking into" the leg to judge whether it's flat relative to bottom of body.
5:12 Rename new group to "leg"
This exercise created new item in GG: body_extractn. Select in GG and rename to "leg".
5:20 Chamfer the rectangular section of the leg
In GG, Hide body
Select one of the horizontal edges that cross the width of the leg
5:27: Some operation takes place concealed from camera. Presumably hot key. It's probably the Select > Edge Loop > Edge Ring operation = "G"
Select Mode: faces
RMB > Inset > Right click for "Inset Region creating new edges inside each face group selection
0.0046
Deselect all
Select a vertical edge on end of foot, use G to select all "sides".
Edit > Repeat Drag "Inset Region". This just applies same settings to sides.
Video then shows switching temporarily to smooth shading to see appearance
5:50 Smooth the bends
At the two intermediate bend segments, select the edges that are coaxial with the leg. (select on edge per bend, then use G).
RMB > Flow Connect
6:03 Make leg suitable to attach to body.
Just for the attachment face, I think this undoes the founding that the above steps caused
Looking into the face of the leg that attaches to body, select the outer rectangle edges
RMB > Hardness > Hard
6:18 Replicate legs along one side of body
With body hidden, select the attachment face of the leg (Only one face)
Unhide body
RMB > Put On > Right-click to get "Clone object on to one or more elements"
Selection Groups > click "legs" -- legs rectangles indicate selection
Right click somewhere to trigger cloning. Ten more legs appear.
ERROR: This actually adds a clone leg in the same space as the original leg.
So use whatever technique to delete the excess leg
6:35 Replicate legs to other sides
Select all legs (drag rect around parts of them, click "body selection mode"
RMB > Combine -- reduces set of legs to single item in GG (leg_clone10)... rename to "legs"
(12-25-2017 09:54 AM)gwideman Wrote: [ -> ]I found this video very helpful in demonstrating a large number of UI gestures and features, regardless of the Integrated Circuit task at hand. However, some of the gestures took place so quickly that it's hard to follow what exactly happened. So I stepped though it extremely slowly and took notes. Others might find that useful, so see below.
That was a hard work. Thanks for the addition.
Did you watched it on your desktop PC?
I ask because YouTube still shows the Annotations I added to the video - if you watch it on a desktop. I used it to put some relevant information for the process (maybe not enough for Wings3D beginners). YouTube offers the option to change the video speed that should help people to read the annotations as well as see the menu commands I used.
